Epicatalytic thermal diode

Abstract

An Epicatalytic Thermal Diode (ETD) includes one or more ETD cells. Each cell comprises first and second surfaces with a cavity between them, which contains a gas that is epicatalytically active with respect to the pair of surfaces. The surfaces chemically interact with the gas such that the gas dissociates at a faster rate proximate to the first surface than it does proximate to the second surface. Thus, a steady-state temperature differential between the first surface and the second surface is created and maintained. In various applications, multiple ETD cells are connected in series and/or parallel.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An epicatalytic thermal diode cell, comprising:
 a first surface that chemically interacts with a gas such that the gas dissociates at a first rate proximate to the first surface; 
 a second surface that chemically interacts with the gas such that the gas dissociates at a second rate proximate to the second surface, the second surface substantially parallel to the first surface, and the second rate lower than the first rate, wherein the second surface is made from at least one material selected from the group consisting of: polyethylene, polypropylene, paraffin, natural rubber, doped silicon, polyethers, polyvinylfluoride, polyvinylidene fluoride, polytetrafluoroethylene, perfluoroalkoxy polymer, polyethylenechlorotrifluoroethylene, Viton, perfluoropolyether, and perfluorosulfonic acid, graphene, graphite, and carbon nano-tubes; and 
 a plurality of separators located between the first surface and the second surface, the plurality of separators maintaining a separation between the first surface and the second surface of substantially a constant distance; 
 wherein the first and second surfaces define a cavity configured to contain the gas, and the difference between the first rate and the second rate results in a steady-state temperature differential across the cavity between the first surface and the second surface. 
 
     
     
       2. The epicatalytic thermal diode cell of  claim 1 , wherein the first surface is made from at least one material selected from the group consisting of: magnesium, aluminum, scandium, titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, yttrium, zirconium, molybdenum, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, silver, tin, lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, hafnium, doped silicon, tantalum, tungsten, rhenium, osmium, iridium, platinum, gold, mercury, lead, alumina, magnesia, titania, silica, nitrocellulose, aramid, nylon, rayon, and polymethylmethacrylate. 
     
     
       3. The epicatalytic thermal diode cell of  claim 1 , wherein the gas comprises at least one gas selected from the group consisting of: formic acid, acetic acid, methanol, ethanol, formaldehyde, ammonia, dimethyl ketone, methylamine, dimethylamine, dimethyl ether, hydronium hydroxide (water), acetamide, methylthiol, cyanogens, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen sulfide, cyanomethane, formamide, aminomethanimine, hydrogen chloride, cyanoethane, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mono-halogen methane, di-halogen methane, tri-halogen methane, tetra-halogen methane, halogenated ethane, hydrogen, helium, neon, argon, krypton, zenon, radon, methane, ethane, and propane. 
     
     
       4. The epicatalytic thermal diode cell of  claim 1 , wherein the constant distance is in a range of 0.01 to 100 microns. 
     
     
       5. The epicatalytic thermal diode cell of  claim 1 , further comprising a first heat transfer surface connected and substantially parallel to the first surface on an opposite side of the first surface than the cavity, the first heat transfer surface configured to conduct heat from outside of the epicatalytic thermal diode cell to the first surface. 
     
     
       6. The epicatalytic thermal diode cell of  claim 5 , further comprising a second heat transfer surface connected and substantially parallel to the second surface on an opposite side of the second surface than the cavity, the second heat transfer surface configured to conduct heat out of the epicatalytic thermal diode cell from the second surface. 
     
     
       7. An epicatalytic thermal diode device comprising a plurality of epicatalytic thermal diode cells as described in  claim 1  connected in parallel, wherein the cavities of the plurality of epicatalytic thermal diode cells are interconnected and adjacent epicatalytic thermal diode cells share at least one separator. 
     
     
       8. An epicatalytic thermal diode device comprising a plurality of epicatalytic thermal diode cells as described in  claim 1  connected in series, wherein adjacent epicatalytic thermal diode cells are separated by a shared heat transfer surface, the shared heat transfer surface configured to transfer heat between the adjacent epicatalytic thermal diode cells. 
     
     
       9. The epicatalytic thermal diode cell of  claim 1 , wherein the gas dissociates at the first rate on the first surface and the gas dissociates at the second rate on the second surface. 
     
     
       10. The epicatalytic thermal diode cell of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second surfaces have been cleaned. 
     
     
       11. The epicatalytic thermal diode cell of  claim 1 , further comprising an amount of the gas located within the cavity, the amount of the gas selected such that the gas is at a pressure in a range of 0.01 to 10 atmospheres. 
     
     
       12. The epicatalytic thermal diode cell of  claim 11 , wherein the gas is purified. 
     
     
       13. A method for creating and maintaining a temperature differential, comprising:
 providing a first surface that chemically interacts with a gas such that the gas dissociates at a first rate proximate to the first surface; 
 providing a second surface that chemically interacts with the gas such that the gas dissociates at a second rate proximate to the second surface, the second surface substantially parallel to the first surface, the second rate lower than the first rate, the first and second surfaces defining a cavity; 
 providing a plurality of separators located between the first surface and the second surface, the plurality of separators maintaining a separation between the first surface and the second surface of substantially a constant distance; 
 cleaning the first and second surfaces; and 
 after cleaning the first and second surface, providing an amount of the gas in the cavity; 
 wherein the difference between the first rate and the second rate results in the temperature differential across the cavity between the first surface and the second surface. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first surface is made from at least one material selected from the group consisting of: ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, silver, osmium, iridium, platinum, gold, scandium, cadmium, titanium, hafnium, doped silicon, vanadium, tantalum, chromium, tungsten, manganese, rhenium, iron, osmium, cobalt, iridium, nickel, copper, zinc, yttrium, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, alumina, magnesia, titania, silica, nitrocellulose, aramid, nylon, rayon, and polymethylmethacrylate. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the second surface is made from at least one material selected from the group consisting of: polyethylene, polypropylene, paraffin, natural rubber, doped silicon, polyethers, polyvinylfluoride, polyvinylidene fluoride, polytetrafluoroethylene, perfluoroalkoxy polymer, polyethylenechlorotrifluoroethylene, Viton, perfluoropolyether, and perfluorosulfonic acid, graphene, graphite, and carbon nano-tubes. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the gas comprises at least one gas selected from the group consisting of: formic acid, acetic acid, methanol, ethanol, formaldehyde, ammonia, dimethyl ketone, methylamine, dimethylamine, dimethyl ether, hydronium hydroxide (water), acetamide, methylthiol, cyanogens, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen sulfide, cyanomethane, formamide, aminomethanimine, hydrogen chloride, cyanoethane, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mono-halogen methane, di-halogen methane, tri-halogen methane, tetra-halogen methane, halogenated ethane, helium, hydrogen, neon, argon, krypton, zenon, radon, methane, ethane, and propane. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 providing a first heat transfer surface connected and substantially parallel to the first surface on an opposite side of the first surface than the cavity, the first heat transfer surface configured to conduct heat from outside of the epicatalytic thermal diode cell to the first surface. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 providing a second heat transfer surface connected and substantially parallel to the second surface on an opposite side of the second surface than the cavity, the second heat transfer surface configured to conduct heat out of the epicatalytic thermal diode cell from the second surface. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the gas dissociates at the first rate on the first surface and the gas dissociates at the second rate on the second surface. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the amount of the gas located within the cavity results in a pressure in a range of 0.01 to 10 atmospheres. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising purifying the gas prior to providing the gas. 
     
     
       22. An epicatalytic thermal diode device comprising a plurality of epicatalytic thermal diode cells connected in parallel, each epicatalytic thermal diode cell comprising:
 a first surface that chemically interacts with a gas such that the gas dissociates at a first rate proximate to the first surface; 
 a second surface that chemically interacts with the gas such that the gas dissociates at a second rate proximate to the second surface, the second surface substantially parallel to the first surface, and the second rate lower than the first rate; and 
 a plurality of separators located between the first surface and the second surface, the plurality of separators maintaining a separation between the first surface and the second surface of substantially a constant distance; 
 wherein:
 the first and second surfaces define a cavity configured to contain the gas; 
 the difference between the first rate and the second rate results in a steady-state temperature differential across the cavity between the first surface and the second surface; 
 the cavities of the plurality of epicatalytic thermal diode cells are interconnected; and 
 adjacent epicatalytic thermal diode cells share at least one separator. 
 
 
     
     
       23. The epicatalytic thermal diode device of  claim 22 , further comprising a first heat transfer surface connected and substantially parallel to the first surface on an opposite side of the first surface than the cavity, the first heat transfer surface configured to conduct heat from outside of the epicatalytic thermal diode cell to the first surface. 
     
     
       24. The epicatalytic thermal diode device of  claim 23 , further comprising a second heat transfer surface connected and substantially parallel to the second surface on an opposite side of the second surface than the cavity, the second heat transfer surface configured to conduct heat out of the epicatalytic thermal diode cell from the second surface. 
     
     
       25. The epicatalytic thermal diode device of  claim 22 , wherein the constant distance is in a range of 0.01 to 100 microns. 
     
     
       26. The epicatalytic thermal diode device of  claim 22 , further comprising an amount of the gas located within the cavity, the amount of the gas selected such that the gas is at a pressure in a range of 0.01 to 10 atmospheres. 
     
     
       27. An epicatalytic thermal diode system comprising a plurality of epicatalytic thermal diode devices as described in  claim 22  connected in series, wherein adjacent epicatalytic thermal diode devices are separated by a shared heat transfer surface, the shared heat transfer surface configured to transfer heat between the adjacent epicatalytic thermal diode devices.